Bangkok – Immigration police in Thailand arrested a Chinese fugitive linked to a massive fraud and embezzlement case involving 2.4 billion yuan (approximately $330 million CAD) after biometric data exposed him. The arrest took place on Saturday at a hotel in Bangkok, according to Pol Lt Gen Panumas Boonyaluck, head of the Immigration Bureau.
Authorities identified the suspect as Zhang Wei, who was wanted in China for financial crimes. Acting on intelligence reports, officers suspected Zhang had entered Thailand under an alias and may have broken immigration laws. They used biometric data to investigate further.
The system flagged facial similarities between Zhang Wei and someone named Du Nan, who held a Vanuatu passport. Vanuatu is a small island nation in the Pacific. Investigators determined both identities belonged to the same person. They then tracked hotel bookings and visa extension requests linked to the suspect.
On March 12, Du Nan’s visa expired without an extension. Police soon discovered activity linked to him at a high-end hotel in Bangkok’s Ratchaprasong area. Immigration officers began monitoring the hotel, particularly the lobby and elevator zones.
However, the suspect avoided leaving his room, relying on room service to avoid detection.
The turning point came on Friday, March 21. Around 2:30 PM, Du Nan finally appeared in the hotel lobby. When officers approached and asked for his passport, he denied being Chinese and claimed his passport was lost.
Instead, he showed a photo of a Vanuatu passport with an expired tourist visa. He was taken into custody for overstaying his visa.
Further investigations, carried out in cooperation with international agencies, confirmed that Du Nan was actually Zhang Wei. He had allegedly embezzled massive funds from a construction company in Shandong Province, China. The losses were estimated at 2.4 billion yuan (about 11 billion baht). The case has since been handed over to the relevant authorities for further legal action.
Police Major General Prachya highlighted the importance of biometric data in solving the case. He also credited tips received through mandatory foreign resident registration systems. He urged the public to comply with immigration reporting requirements to help enforce the law.
Thailand’s Biometric Data System
Thailand’s biometric immigration system has faced challenges recently but remains a key tool for border security. The Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), introduced in May 2019 by the Immigration Bureau and developed by German company DERMALOG, uses fingerprint and facial recognition technology.
It was designed to screen travellers at 65 crossing points, including 16 international airports and 49 land and sea checkpoints.
The system can identify individuals in 0.1 seconds by comparing their data to a database. By late 2019, it had processed around 49 million travellers, flagged over 4,300 blacklisted individuals, and identified 127,000 visa overstays.
It also helped make over 3,100 arrests related to fraud. The system’s initial setup cost 2.1 billion baht, including 2,000 biometric scanners across 170 checkpoints.
However, as of early 2025, the system has hit a major roadblock. It reached its storage limit of 50 million records, preventing new arrivals from being automatically recorded. This capacity issue arose after the system’s initial licence for 30 million records was expanded to 50 million, but no further upgrades were made.
Since then, the Immigration Bureau has had to manually document data for roughly 17 million travellers, collecting only basic facial and fingerprint images instead of full biometric profiles. This situation has raised concerns about gaps in border security, as critics warn it could allow criminals to slip through.
To address the problem, immigration officials are planning a new biometric system with unlimited storage capacity. The project is expected to cost 3 billion baht and take up to 29 months to complete.
However, the procurement process has yet to begin, which could lead to delays. In the meantime, an additional 500 million baht will be spent to purchase more licences for the existing system. Manual checks and an online database are being used as temporary solutions for security screening.
Separately, Thailand’s Airports of Thailand (AoT) introduced a new facial recognition system at six major airports on November 1, 2024. The system, designed for domestic travellers, was expanded to include international passengers the following month.
It covers airports like Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Chiang Rai. This system aims to speed up check-ins and immigration by requiring passengers to show their ID only once per trip after enrolling their biometrics. However, it operates independently of the Immigration Bureau’s ABIS system and focuses on travel efficiency rather than border security.
The challenges with the existing biometric system and the launch of this new airport-focused initiative show contrasting priorities. While the older system struggles with capacity and security concerns, the newer one emphasizes convenience for travellers. The lack of comprehensive biometric data since 2024 remains an ongoing issue for Thailand’s immigration authorities.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
